14 Etowah Co EQIP Executive Summary

The USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Etowah County, Alabama, will hold a signup for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) for the 2014 Fiscal Year. This signup will be held on a continuous basis. Any eligible landuser who has a resource concern or problem on pastureland, hayland, cropland, or forestland may apply for assistance through this program.

The USDA work group has prioritized the following resource concerns for Etowah County:

Grazing Lands

Soil Quality/Erosion

Water Quality/Animal Waste

Forest Health and Wildlife

Irrigation Water Management (efficiency only)

The top application in each resource concern will be funded first, then the second application in each concern until this process uses up all allocated money.

Approvals will be given to those applications that will provide the greatest environmental benefits in each resource concern i.e., those receiving the most environmental points. Contracts will be developed for approved applications in order of descending environmental points in each resource concern, until all funds are obligated.

Limits Per Contract

Conservation tillage -$3000

Pasture planting - $20,800

Tree planting - $7,500

All management practices - $3,500 per practice

Applications will be batched and ranked according to State Office Schedule. The first batching period for ranking and prioritizing applications will be October 18, 2013. Any applications filed later than this date will be considered in the next pool of funding, if additional funds become available.

Etowah County will use the Alabama NRCS state approved EQIP Practice and Payment Schedule. Plans will be developed using conservation practices and payments rates to address resource concerns.

Limited Resource Farmers, New and Beginning Farmers, and Socially Disadvantaged Farmers will be paid at an increased payment rate.